WASPS: Were they common or rare?

[dieseltaylor]

could this site be quotable?

and wot abaht the

Einstossflammenwerfer 46

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TITLE: The Performance of the Flame Thrower, Transportable No.2, Mk.2C (Wasp) when Firing Napalm Fuel in Cold Weather

PERSONAL AUTHOR: Sorensen, H.

CORPORATE AUTHOR: Suffield Experimental Station, Ralston ALTA (CAN)

[ November 20, 2007, 09:11 AM: Message edited by: dieseltaylor ]

[dieseltaylor]

As it is about flamethrowers I thought I would throw this in

web page

As you say Martin, a fine history and a rare one now. I was lucky to get mine a while back.

This is what I've found from it:

Churchill Crocodiles

79th (Armoured) Division 1944-45

Churchill Crocodiles were issued to 141st Regiment, Royal Armoured Corps (RAC), formerly an infantry battalion of the Buffs (East Kent Regiment), under the command of Lieutenant Colonel H.Waddell. They formed part of 31st Armoured Brigade, 79th (Armoured) Division.

The unit did not take part in D Day, and joined the division in the Bridgehead on 20th June 1944. Their first action was at Crepon, when 2 Crocodiles under Lieutenant J.W.G.Sherman supported C Squdaron Westminster Dragoons; there were no casualties.

Tank casualties to the unit were as follows:

June 1944 – nil.

July 1944 – 8.

August 1944 – 5.

September 1944 – 7.

October 1944 – 3.

November 1944 – 3.

December 1944 – nil.

January 1945 – 9.

February 1945 – 1.

March 1945 – 1.

April 1945 – 1.

In personnel they had 28 killed, 104 wounded and 36 missing.

From September 1944, 1st Fife & Forfar Yeomanry joined the division and were also equipped with Crocodiles. Their tank losses were:

October 1944 – 1.

November 1944 – 3.

December 1944 – nil.

January 1945 – 2.

February 1945 – 3.

March 1945 – 2.

April 1945 – 1.

In personnel they had 13 killed, 41 wounded and 9 missing.

7th Royal Tank Regiment joined the division in February 1945 and were again also equipped with Crocodiles.

They lost 3 tanks in April 1945, had 4 men killed, and 15 wounded.

The number of missing, particularly for 141 RAC is surprising; but it might refer to crews killed in a brewed Crocodile whose bodies were not recoverable.

There is no account in the divisional history of any Crocodiles being overrun by the enemy; most were KO’d by shell-fire, tank fire and mines.

__________________

Paul Reed

Webmaster - Battlefields of WW2- http://www.ww2battlefields.info

D Day Ancestors: The British Army in Normandy - http://www.ddayancestors.com

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[dieseltaylor]

Detail pictures of a Wasp

Wasps in action report

Staff at 3rd Div. headquarters prepared a plan that would involve Wasp flamethrowers in support of the attack. Experiments demonstrated that when the reverse slope of the dike was used to angle the Wasp, the flame could reach the other side of the canal. Spry decided to use this method instead of an artillery barrage in the hope of achieving both suppression and tactical surprise.

http://www.irdp.co.uk/JohnCrook/normandy.htm

just a history

[ November 20, 2007, 10:02 AM: Message edited by: dieseltaylor ]

[Andreas]

Originally posted by dieseltaylor:

[QB] As it is about flamethrowers I thought I would throw this in

web page

Good to know that my copy of the history maybe worth what I paid for it.

Some people... "yes it was true that as flame throwers they were not afforded protection under the Geneva Convention"

I'd like to know where in the GC it says that.

All the best

Andreas

[z-warfare]

Yes... The Geneva Convention is 99% all about POWs and wounded soldiers.

The Hague Conventions of 1899 and 1907 are the treaties about what weapons can be used. However, while these treaties restrict "the Launching of Projectiles and Explosives from Balloons", "the Use of Projectiles the Object of Which is the Diffusion of Asphyxiating or Deleterious Gases", and "the Use of Bullets Which Expand or Flatten Easily in the Human Body", there doesn't seem to be anything in them about flamethrowers.